1910 Philadelphia Athletics Imperial Team Display Photograph

Absolutely stunning and huge museum-quality Philadelphia Athletics team imperial display photograph dating from the club’s 1910 World Championship season. This is an extraordinary display piece of an almost-never-seen size and quality. It is the single largest and most impressive imperial team display original photograph for any early championship team we have ever seen. The photograph, which is housed in its original period mount and frame, measures an incredible 35 x 18 inches and is notable not only for its size, but also for its extreme rarity. It is interesting to note that this is the finest of the three known examples. The fact that more than one exists at all, and all of these originate directly from players, strongly suggests that these imperial photographic displays were produced to order by the team as special keepsakes for players. In addition to its great rarity and the extraordinary and unrivaled quality of manufacture, the piece is further distinguished by its impeccable condition. The extreme clarity and quality of contrast, all the more unusual for its size, make this one of the most visually impressive “dead-ball” era photos ever produced. The photo captures the Athletics posing on the field dressed in their home white uniforms. Manager Connie Mack is seated in the center, wearing his customary suit and hat, surrounded by twenty-four team members including Frank Baker, “Chief” Bender, Eddie Plank, Eddie Collins, Stuffy McInnis, Jack Barry, Jack Coombs, Danny Murphy, Rube Oldring, Cy Morgan and Harry Davis. Each player has been identified in black ink upon his respective image in neatly printed letters. The caption “Connie Mack Manager – Athletics World Champions – 1910” is written in white ink on the base of the matting. The Athletics were one of the first clubs to produce such large and elaborate team photos. Aside from a very small abrasion on the image of Pat Donohue and a light scratch in the bottom right corner (not affecting any player image) the photo is otherwise in Near Mint condition. This is both a historically significant photo, in that it captures one of Connie Mack’s greatest teams, as well as one of the rarest and most attractive large-format images in existence dating from the early 1900s. Matted and framed (in what appears to be its original vintage frame) to total dimensions of 43 x 28 inches. Reserve $2,500. Estimate $5,000/$7,500.SOLD FOR $5,875.00

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